President Donald Trump is more overtly leaning into some of the spoils of his office in his second term, drawing comparisons to French Queen Marie Antoinette from political opponents. He has celebrated renderings of his $400 million White House ballroom even during the war in Iran and a partial government shutdown. His administration is pushing ahead with plans to build a 250-foot Triumphal Arch near the Lincoln Memorial. Democrats say Trump is more interested in the gilded trappings of the presidency than in everyday Americans' concerns about affordability. The White House says the projects "will benefit generations of future presidents and American visitors."

Congress has approved a short-term renewal of a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies just days before it was set to expire. A bill extending the program until April 30 cleared the Senate by voice vote Friday as Congress raced to send it to President Donald Trump for his signature. Lawmakers turned to a short-term extension of the program after an attempt to pass a five-year renewal failed in a late-night House vote. The short-term fix sets the stage for another showdown in a matter of weeks. The program permits key national security agencies to collect and analyze vast amounts of overseas communications without a warrant.

The House has rejected a resolution requiring President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from the war with Iran unless Congress authorizes military action. The vote Thursday was the latest such attempt that fell short of passage as Republicans largely continue to support Trump's operation. Democrats are concerned about the United States getting further entrenched in another lengthy Middle East conflict and are promising to keep raising the issue through more votes in the coming weeks. Republicans counter by noting that Congress never voted on a war powers resolution when the Biden administration attacked Iranian-backed Houthis.

The tax filing deadline for most Americans is Wednesday, and President Donald Trump's administration is highlighting the impacts of Republicans' massive tax and spending law. The law eliminates taxes on tips and overtime for millions of people, exempts interest on certain car loans and gives new deductions to some seniors. The administration says more than 53 million filers claimed deductions under these provisions, as of Tuesday. Despite these changes, polling finds that most Americans still think their taxes are too high. Democrats say Americans are reeling from the high cost of living as Trump focuses his attention on the Iran war.

The Republican-led Senate has rejected the latest Democratic attempt to halt President Donald Trump's war in Iran. The Senate on Wednesday turned aside a resolution that would require the U.S. to withdraw forces from the conflict until Congress authorizes further action. It was the fourth time this year the Senate has voted to cede its war powers to Trump in a conflict that Democrats say is illegal and unjustified. Republicans say they will keep faith in Trump's wartime leadership, for now, citing Iran's nuclear capabilities and the high stakes of withdrawal. But GOP lawmakers are also anxious for the conflict to end.

Tax refunds are up this season, but polling shows that most Americans still think their taxes are too high, according to recent polls. The findings come after last year's tax law fulfilled several of President Donald Trump's tax-related campaign promises. A new Fox News poll indicates people are more upset about their tax bill than they were last year. The findings suggest that Americans are increasingly on edge about their personal finances as the U.S. experiences a spike in inflation and sluggish economic growth. Other polling, though, finds that frustration goes beyond personal tax obligations, with many believing that wealthy people and corporations are not paying their fair share.